Thursday, November 24, 2005

It's turkey day. I've been eagerly awaiting this day. Watching my diet, hitting the gym hard on the weekends--just so I can be a glutton today.

But I'm sick...sore scratchy throat, fever, body aches, dizziness, weakness, and the worst--without an appetite. Luckily it's not a bad case because I have so much to do this weekend. I think I could muster up an appetite. There's no way I'm going to miss the best feast of the year!!

Here's a Thanksgiving Poem for ya:

I was a young turkey, new to the coop,My big brother Mike took me out on the stoop,Then he sat me down, and he spoke real slow,And he told me there was something that I had to know;

His look and his tone I will always remember,When he told me of the horrors of..... Black November;"Come about August, now listen to me,Each day you'll get six meals instead of just three."

"And soon you'll be thick, where once you were thin,and you'll grow a big rubbery thing under your chin;""And then one morning, when you're warm in your bed,In'll burst the farmer's wife, and hack off your head;"

"Then she'll pluck out all your feathers so you're bald 'n pink,And scoop out all your insides and leave ya lyin' in the sink;""And then comes the worst part" he said not bluffing,"She'll spread your cheeks and pack your rear with stuffing."

Well, the rest of his words were too grim to repeat,I sat on the stoop like a winged piece of meat,And decided on the spot that to avoid being cooked,I'd have to lay low and remain overlooked;

I began a new diet of nuts and granola,High-roughage salads, juice and diet cola;And as they ate pastries, chocolates and crepes,I stayed in my room doing Jane Fonda tapes;I maintained my weight of two pounds and a half,

And tried not to notice when the bigger birds laughed;But 'twas I who was laughing, under my breath,As they chomped and they chewed, ever closer to death;And sure enough when Black November rolled around,I was the last turkey left in the entire compound;

So now I'm a pet in the farmer's wife's lap;I haven't a worry, so I eat and I nap;She held me today, while sewing and humming,And smiled at me and said "Christmas is coming..."

Thursday, November 10, 2005

The semester has really flown by as I find myself in the middle of November already. Thank goodness for the break tomorrow as we observe a day for all who served our country. 22 years ago I was fresh-off-the-boat and found myself in a foreign land where I expected to see red-headed 'fa-longs' (French). Would I have guessed then that I'd meet my sweetheart, living in Sin City, and getting married in several months?

So what's with the photo? I'm sitting in Econ and the instructor just mentioned that students were cheating by sending photos they took of their exams with their camera phone and getting replies with answers to the questions. I didn't think that was possible because the focus and image quality from camera phones are not that great and just wanted to test this "myth". Hmm...my conclusion is "stick with a pencil and calculator" to figure out your own answers.

Thursday, November 03, 2005

I'd like give a shout out to John and Maggie, my sweetheart's parents, who finally launched the website for their company Western Star Leather. As the name implies, they specialize in authenic old west gun leather, chaps, chinks, cuffs & much more! The results of their perserverance--endless hours in the shop, capturing detailed images of their workmanship, and collaborating with web designers, was unveiled today at www.WesternStarLeather.com.

Although having a website may be a new venture for the couple, these buckaroos already have several knotches on their belt for being entrepreneurs and business owners including over 15 years operating a one-stop shop for the horseman. The fruit of their endeavors has allowed them to semi-retire in Boulder City in order to live closer to their only son and soon to be daughter-in-law (yours truly) while doing what they love to do--making authentic, high quality cowboy gear and gun leather.John and Maggie are truly two of the most hard working, dedicated, loving, honest and giving people I know and it shows in everything they do. Those who choose Western Star Leather over other brands should be rest assured that they will have the best of the best with a touch of the authenic old west! My hat's off to you both, John and Maggie!!